Newbie!

[Carla1998]

Hello,

I’m 20 years old and absolutely desperate to loose weight! I am a very severe asthmatic and struggle with most excersize! What do you do to keep active? I also struggle with things to eat can anyone give me any guidance?

[IndigoBlue61]

Hello Carla1998 and a very warm welcome 😊

First of all, please take a look at the Welcome Newbie Post here healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh... for advice about how they forum works and all the things we have on offer.

Whilst exercise is important, for many reasons, for weight loss it’s much more about reducing food intake. That said, having enough to eat is vital, if you are following the NHS 12 Week plan then the 1400 calorie target suggested is a just generic amount, so check your calorie target on the BMI checker, it’s often higher than you think. The type of food is also important, fats are no longer the bad guys, and are essential for a balanced diet as well as satiety. For more help and guidance with food planning please check out the Daily Diary healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

Also try to come onto the forum regularly, daily if you can, reading posts and replying to others. Being part of a community is proven to help weight loss. Why not join our daily chat thread ‘What’s Happening Today? And tell us all a little about your day. healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

Best wishes and have a great first week

Indigo 😊

[Hidden]

Hi Carla1998 and welcome!!

In terms of exercise - losing weight is more about what you eat with a little exercise / being active ... so dont think you have to go off joining a gym etc if that concerns you.

Personally, i started walking. I used to get a weekly bus pass and would literally get on a bus to go 10 minutes (2 bus stops) up the road to the shop. Thats how lazy i was! I also used to get out of breath walking and mentally it put me off too.

Now i walk to work and back everyday - about 40 minutes each way and over 6 months i now find this really easy and i feel a lot better for it!

Maybe try walking to start - a little at a time and build up.

In terms of what to eat - on the daily diary picture for Tuesday i posted a pic of 80 healthy foods (these are just a small example and nothing should be off limits - in moderation).

The link is here - healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

Look at any of the daily diaries to see what other members are eating daily - it may give you some inspiration. There are also plenty of recipes on here under the different recipe sections - another great place to find inspiration.

Good luck on your journey

[BRIDGETLOVESBLUESOUP]

Hi Carla I lost a lot of weight when I took up an interest in gardens and gardening, There is garden visiting to start with, the NGs runs open gardens, there is the National Trust, and gardening it self really burns the calories. You loose weight with out thinking. My friends biggest tip, was to stay active, possibly out of the house, shopping, walking along the beach, visiting parks all burn calories. Just don't make it a chore, if you do you won't stick to it. C

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to BRIDGETLOVESBLUESOUP]

Hi and welcome, Bridget

Some excellent advice there!

I hope you'll follow the links that IndigoBlue61 has provided Carla1998 and will enjoy being a member of our community.

Wishing you all the best

[13Valerie]

What exercise would you really enjoy?

Swimming is great and for asthma singing in a choir is fantastic. And fun!

Time to have fun Carla Change your habits... Look after yourself and the weight will look after itself.

[emmas123 3lbs]

Welcome! I'm also asthmatic, but much milder than you by the sounds of it. As others suggested, it's more about burning off more than you eat, rather than becoming a gym-bunny. Walking (even if you need to take breaks) is usually easy to incorporate, but from an asthmatic's perspective, swimming is fantastic for improving lung capacity. Some light weight-training may also be good to include, as it wouldn't put stress on your lungs, but it still burns calories. If you do decide to incorporate some weight training, do be mindful of correct breathing during reps. You can youtube once you decide on an exercise to see the correct positioning and breathing.

[Heron88 5lbs]

Hi Carla. Have you thought about yoga or Pilates? There are some great free videos for beginners on utube. I’ve been doing Pilates for about a month. Not at all strenuous, but I’m gradually feeling the benefit.

[katy9617]

welcome Carla! first thing I recommend is to read the admin's post. they have all the good links to get started. remember, this is not a diet but a new way of living. if exercise is hard for you, it is for me I cannot walk as my ankle is in a boot, then learn better eating habits first. exercise is really just a small part of losing weight so what I am doing is trying to eat better. I have been off my feet for 9 weeks now and eat everything that is not nailed down to the floor especially junk food. I have been to this forum about 100 times before and always come back for advice and help. if you read and post on a regular basis, you will find motivation and wonderful advice. good luck and chin up!